To Give Or Not To Give

[Prophecyx1]

So Here is my dilemma. I have 5 Silkies, but the oldest rooster is no longer doing his "Job" with the girls. I have a younger rooster but only about 5 months old or so. This meaning the girls eggs are not fertilized. I have a hen, laying on a single egg, and she just started. Now, I have 14 eggs in the incubator with 10 days left. There are 3 main things here.

1. The eggs are from a family friend, and they have silkies, but a few other breeds as well. They claimed to know what eggs came from the silkies, but I don't 100% trust that. Leading to the next problem.

2. I was thinking about putting 1 or 2 of these eggs underneath the broody hen. But this also feels like it could fail awfully, and I would be killing 2 chicks for no GOOD reason, or they would hatch but not be silkies, and then I would take away the chicks she just "hatched".

3. I could leave her with her one barren egg, wait for the eggs to hatch, and then give her one or two of the silkies out of the hatch.

I live in South GA USA and the temp is starting to get down to low 80s, low 70's. So its not too bad. Any one have any suggestions?

 

[sourland]

Or you could give her a couple of the eggs. If non silkies, allow her to raise them, and then give them to the family friend.

 

[Prophecyx1]

Or you could give her a couple of the eggs. If non silkies, allow her to raise them, and then give them to the family friend.

I won't lie I am extremely nervous to take eggs from the incubator and put out side! LOL!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I won't lie I am extremely nervous to take eggs from the incubator and put out side! LOL!

Has she brooded before? If so, I think it will be fine. I do it a lot with my eggs

 

[Prophecyx1]

Has she brooded before? If so, I think it will be fine. I do it a lot with my eggs

It is the first time I have seen or do it, but She was already older when I got her.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I would do option 3 then. Mine seem to be good about accepting more (and more, and even more) babies as long as they're still in 'egg' mode.

 

[LoveOfFeathers]

Just my thoughts….take the young rooster and swap him out with the older one. Wait a week and check if he has fertilized the eggs and if so set them under the broody. It won’t hurt her to set a week longer than what’s needed to hatch chicken eggs, she’s in momma mode. Make sure she gets off the nest to eat and drink even if you have to place her beside the food dish. Don’t worry about the temperature, she will keep the eggs and chicks warm.

 

[Prophecyx1]

Just my thoughts….take the young rooster and swap him out with the older one. Wait a week and check if he has fertilized the eggs and if so set them under the broody. It won’t hurt her to set a week longer than what’s needed to hatch chicken eggs, she’s in momma mode. Make sure she gets off the nest to eat and drink even if you have to place her beside the food dish. Don’t worry about the temperature, she will keep the eggs and chicks warm.

This was actually my original thought! Sadly the young rooster is always with the girls. But he hasnt matured yet, and isnt fertilizing eggs. Hes always with them. The old rooster is cranky and usually off on his own unless he spots birds and will get everyone in the coop lol. On the topic of broodiness. This hen doesnt seem to be moving from her spot. Ever. Not for water or anything. Should I take the eggs?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

This was actually my original thought! Sadly the young rooster is always with the girls. But he hasnt matured yet, and isnt fertilizing eggs. Hes always with them. The old rooster is cranky and usually off on his own unless he spots birds and will get everyone in the coop lol. On the topic of broodiness. This hen doesnt seem to be moving from her spot. Ever. Not for water or anything. Should I take the eggs?

Some hens won't get off the nest if they're being observed

 

[LoveOfFeathers]

This was actually my original thought! Sadly the young rooster is always with the girls. But he hasnt matured yet, and isnt fertilizing eggs. Hes always with them. The old rooster is cranky and usually off on his own unless he spots birds and will get everyone in the coop lol. On the topic of broodiness. This hen doesnt seem to be moving from her spot. Ever. Not for water or anything. Should I take the eggs?

If she is that determined to be a momma then taking her eggs won’t help, she will still continue to sit on nothing. Some hens will brood themselves to death, she’s a silkie, just give her a few eggs from the incubator. The chances of her not accepting these eggs are slim, chickens can’t count days and she won’t care that these babies arrived in ten days or less. On day 20 when they pip, check her eggs but be careful not to roll or turn any. Pick a pipped one up and when it chirps gauge her reaction, she should talk back to it. When she does know that you should have nothing to worry about.